


The Walls We Build

by Mochisugakookie



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Bullying, F/M, Family Issues, Fluff, Loneliness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-30 23:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13962495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mochisugakookie/pseuds/Mochisugakookie
Summary: "Just leave, Ok? You wouldn't be the first and you sure as hell won't be the last.""Why do you keep telling me to leave? Do you want to be alone that bad?"'Yes." Tears start the trcikle their ways down my cheek. Hiis words from earlier begin to sink their razor sharp teeth into my brain, casing white hot memories that I thought I had buried long ago to buble up to the surface."I know that's not true. Why do you shut people out, huh? Its like you have this wall up all the time and you never let anyone in. Why won't you let me in Yoon?" Can't you see i'm trying here?""Just leave. Just. Leave. Please." The first words come out no louder than a broken whisper. I close my eyes and for a second, I think that he really did leave. I wouldn't be surprised. I'd leave me too. Everyone always seems to anyways, so what's the point in trying now?That's when I feel two strong arms wrap their way around my back, pulling me closer to him, his scent engulfing me, surrounding me until there is nothing except him.I feel his heart as it bets furiously in his chest, somehow matching the chaoctic rhythm of my own."I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving you and there's nothing you can do to change my mind."





	1. Alone

“Honey, when are you going to get a boyfriend?” My mother asks me as she surveys two cartons of eggs, trying to decide which one is better. I sigh and push a strand of lilac hair out of my face. “I mean, you aren’t getting any younger, dear.” 

“Thanks for the reminder, mom. And I’ve told you countless times that I don’t need anyone. Never have. Never will.” I say with a ‘hmph’ as I push yet another strand of hair out of my eyes. She shakes her head at me and puts one of the cartons back on the shelf and the other one into her shopping cart. We move on silently to the next aisle. I’m currently helping her grocery shop, even though me being here is pointless. She never needs my help. I think I’m only here because she doesn’t want to be alone. That, and it gives her more time to nose around in my personal life.

“I’m only asking because I worry about you. You’re always alone in that big apartment of yours and it’s not healthy. Why don’t you get a roommate or something? It seems like the lesser of two evils since you refuse to find a boyfriend.” I sigh, knowing that I’m not going to win this, I never do when it comes to her. 

“Will you stop if I put up an ad for a roommate? Will that satisfy you?” I meet her eyes and she smiles and nods her head. I shake my head but say nothing else. We finish getting everything on her list and we go to check out. After everything is paid for, I help her carry her bags out to the car.

“Let me know how the roommate situation goes, honey.” She says as she gets into her car. I nod my head and close the door for her. I wave goodbye and she drives away. Sigh. Now I have to get a roommate. Just great. It’s not that I have a problem with getting one, I don’t need one. All my life I’ve been alone, so what’s the point in trying to change that now? I get by just fine on my own, in fact, I like being alone. No one to worry about except me, myself, and I. 

I start walking in the direction of my apartment, carrying the few bags of groceries that my mom bought me. She always does this, even though I tell her I don’t need her too. No matter how many times I tell her that I can buy my own food, she insists on buying me something. She says it’s payback for me keeping her company. As I walk down an alleyway I hear the soft mewling of something. It was faint, but I hear it none the less. I stop and listen, trying to get a better idea as to where the noise is coming from. I look to my right and see a large dungy garbage bin. I set my bags down and tentatively walk towards it and look beside it. I see the edges of a ragged cardboard box and the whimpering gets louder than before. I move myself closer to the box, trying to ignore the bile quickly making its way up my throat. The smell alone is enough to make me toss my cookies, but the sight before me makes my heart stop and my eyes prickle with salty tears. 

Inside the box is a small kitten, no bigger than the palm of my hand. Gnats nip at its ears and flies buzz around something behind it that looks long dead. Its mother, I soon realize. The matted fur of the tiny grey kitten is knotted with dirt, grease, and who knows what else. I reach down and pick up the creature, clutching it tight to my chest. I can’t just leave it here. 

Without wasting any time, I pick up my bags with one hand and tuck the kitten close to my chest with the other, trying to keep it warm with my body heat. 

I make it home in less than an hour. I unlock my apartment and set my bags down on the kitchen counter, not bothering to put them away just yet. I turn my attention to the tiny ball of grey in my hand. It looked pitiful. Its fur matted, bones visible through its skin, and dirt everywhere. I pull out my phone and call my sister. She’d know what to do. The phone rings a couple of times, but she picks up. 

"Hey, Min Min, are you still at work?” I ask. 

“I am, why?” I look at the kitten in my hand and take a deep breath. 

“I need your help.” I say while biting my lip. 

“WHAT? The great independent YoonHee needs my help? I am shocked and intrigued. Please continue.” I sigh, knowing already that I’m never going to hear the end of this.

“Can you be serious for like, ten minutes?”

“What can I do for you, dear sister?” 

“I’ll explain when I see you. Don’t leave your office. I’ll be there in a bit.” And with that, I hang up, wrap the kitten in a soft blanket and leave my apartment for the second time today.


	2. The Vet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YooHee takes her new kitten to the vet.

“Well, it looks like you found him just in time. This little guy is lucky to have you.” The soft voice of my sister drifts over to me as I peer down at the sleeping kitten on the observation table. I nod, marveling at the tiny creature before us. “Have you talked to mom lately?” I give her an ‘are you kidding me’ look and she laughs.

“She’s making me get a roommate, you know? I don’t even want one. She says, it’s ‘unhealthy’ for me to live alone. Something about humans being social creatures that need human interaction to survive.” I use finger quotes around the word unhealthy and sigh for the millionth time today.

“She’s got a point you know. You shouldn’t be alone all the time. Maybe you sho-“ 

“If you agree with mom, I swear I’ll leave, I won’t speak to you and you won’t get anything for Christmas or for your birthday.” Her face scrunches up but she doesn’t say anything else. Instead, she walks over to the table and peers down at the little kitten. MinYoo is the head vet at Sho-ji Animal Clinic. She’s the best of the best in her field. 

“Well, I think he should be alright to go home now. We couldn’t give him his first rounds of shots because he seems to be only a few weeks old. You’ll need to bring him back in a couple of weeks. I suggest getting some milk formula to feed him with until he gets a bit older, since his mother is gone. He’ll also need to start on some worm medicine when he’s older as well, because he no doubt has them.” I write a note in my phone as she speaks, making sure to type out everything she says verbatim.   
“Oh, and about your roommate situation, why don’t you give it a try? She only said you had to make an ad and put it up. There’s no guarantee that anyone will answer it anyways. And if anyone does, just make sure they aren’t a serial killer.” She winks at me playfully just as her pager goes off. “Crap, I got to go. Call me later and keep me posted on the little guy, will you?” I nod my head and she rushes out of the room, leaving me with the sleeping lump of grey. I sigh and reach out, gently petting the kitten. He wakes up and looks up at me with sleepy eyes  
.   
“Let’s go home, shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people! Thank you for reading the second part of this little story of mine! I'm sorry that this is a small chapter, but I should have the next part out in the next couple of days! Thank you!!


	3. Ya Like Jazz?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an upsetting phone call with her mother, YoonHee takes her new kitten to the pet store where she meets a charming guy who becomes an unexpected friend to her.

“Have you put up the ad yet?” My mother’s voice croaks out from the receiver, filling up the empty apartment with her words. I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. I reach down and pick up Eun from where he was sitting at my feet. The little grey kitten stares at me with big eyes that are the same color as the ocean. I named him Eun because his fur is a silver-ish grey. It’s been one week since I've brought him home. He’s made a significant improvement from that night. I could hardly get him to drink the milk that I made for him and he would have these awful fits in the middle of the night. He’d cry out and mewl so loud that it woke me up. He wouldn’t stop until I picked him up off the pillow beside me and tucked him into the crook of my neck. That’s where he generally sleeps now, and I don’t mind it. It’s comforting. “YoonHee? Hello? Are you there?” 

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I spaced out for a second. What were you saying?”

“The ad. Did you put it up yet?” 

“No. But I got a cat. I’m not alone anymore. Therefore, I don’t need to put up the ad.” I say in high hopes that she will just drop the matter. She won’t. I know she won’t. Once she gets her mind set on something, there’s no stopping her.

“Nice try, but a cat can’t speak to you and give you the kind of companionship that a human can, YoonHee. You are still going to put up that as. we had a deal." She's quiet for a moment before she continues "I just worry about you dear. Why can’t you be more like MinYoo. She had a couple of roommates when she first started living alone. Now she has a nice husband and a good group of friends. Don’t you want that?” There it is. The real reason behind this call. She always does this to me, compares me to my perfect sister. She loves to remind me just how much I’ll never be her. How I’ll never amount to her and all that she is. My sister, who is good with not only animals, but also people. My sister who got straight A’s in school while I struggled to keep high C’s. My sister who decided to go to college to make something out of herself where I chose not to go to college because I didn’t want my mom to pay for it. If I go to school, I’ll pay for it with my own money. My sister who was always great at making friends and keeping them. My sister, the social butterfly and me, the pissed off wasp. 

“Hey mom, Eun just threw up everywhere. I’ve got to go. We will talk later, ok?” I know it’s a lie, but what else can I do?

“Alright honey, but the next time we speak, you had better have that ad up.” She hung up. It’s just so draining, you know? Trying to live up to her expectations. I’m not my sister. I never will be. Why can’t she see that?

“Hey, Eun? Wanna go to the pet store?” I pick up the little guy and hold him up eye level. He places his little paw on my nose and I melt. “I’ll take that as a yes. Alright. Let’s go.” 

I pop open the inside pocket of my coat and place the tiny kitten inside, making sure he’s snug, before grabbing my keys, wallet and phone. I walk out of my apartment, locking the door behind me. I live on the edge of downtown, so I’m in walking distance of most stores, including the pet store. But because I have my kitten with me, and it’s chilly out, I decide to take a taxi. It takes me less than ten minutes to get there. I pay my fee and get out. I feel Eun shift anxiously in my coat pocket, making me smile to myself. I’m not sure how, but in the short week that I’ve had him, he’s become a welcomed comfort for me, and knowing he’s with me right now makes my heart swell.

The doorbell chimes as I step through the entrance and into the empty shop. The sound of squawking birds and squeaking animals is all that can be heard, besides the smooth jazz music that trickles out of a radio by the clerk’s counter. I pull Eun out of my pocket and he blinks at me twice, almost as if he is unamused that I woke him. 

“I’ll be with you in just a second.” A man’s deep voice rings out from somewhere in the back of the store.

“Take your time,” I yell back, hoping that he heard me amidst all this noise. “Now let’s see. If I were a kitten, what would I want.” I walk around, surveying the various amounts of pet supplies offered. They have anything and everything a pet owner could ever need. Collars, toys, food, cages, you name it, they have it. I went over to the collars first and looked through the various ones. There were so many to choose from. “Which one would you like Eun?” I say aloud, knowing full and well that he can’t answer me back. 

“I think he would look nice in this one.” A man’s voice said from right beside me, scaring the living hell out of me. I jump out of my skin and clutch Eun to my chest. The said man has a nametag on his chest that read ‘Taehyung’ and he is wearing the stores uniform, which I notice is a bright orange shirt and khakis. An odd combination on anyone, but he seems to make the outfit work. He gives me a boxy smile and reaches out his hand. I hesitate for a second and then tentatively shake his hand. “Here, I think he’ll look great in this. It’s our top seller.” He reaches beside me and grabs a red and black collar with a small bell on the end of it. I smile and grab it, our fingers brushing against each other’s for a split second, making my heart beat faster than normal. He brushes his finger through his dark brown hair as he watches me.

“Thanks.” I mumble. I unclasp it and slip it around Eun’s neck. He doesn’t seem to mind it, being that he’s too sleepy to even realize what’s going on. “I think this one will do just fine. Thanks…” I pause to look at his nametag again. “Taehyung.” 

“No problem. May I?” He asks pointing towards Eun. I nod and hold him out for the man. He picks him up with such tenderness that it shocks me. He flashes me another smile and starts talking to Eun in a cute baby voice. I let out a laugh, which turns into more of a chuckle. He looks up at me and stops doing the voice but continues to hold Eun, who has now fallen asleep in his hands. “Where did you get him from?” He asks quietly. I duck my head and recant the story of how I found him by the dumpster and his face grows serious. 

“That just breaks my heart, ya know? The poor little guy... It was lucky that you found him though, right?” I nod my head, making my hair bob up and down as I do so. “What’s his name?” He asks me.

“Eun. His name is Eun.” I say. He smiles.

“And you are?” 

“Oh. I’m YoonHee. Sorry. I’m not the best at being… Social.”

“Understood. So, are you here to get some basics for the little Eun?” I nod once more, not exactly sure what to say. 

“Um, if I’m honest, this is my first pet and I’m a little lost as to what I need to buy. I’ve been putting down newspaper for him to use, but he hasn’t gotten the hang of it yet. And he’s still on milk so I haven’t gotten any like actual cat food for him. I was wondering if maybe you could help me?” I ramble for a bit, not really knowing what to say again, but Taehyung just looks at me intently, nodding his head. 

“Of course! Tae Tae is here to ease your mind! I know all the basic guidelines and specifics when it comes to taking care of kittens. Follow me.” I must admit, he’s adorable. The way he cares so passionately about the animals is so sweet. He walks to a different aisle and I follow him, taking the time to listen carefully to everything he says. After about an hour, I am all loaded up with a litter box, a bag of litter, cat food, a couple of toys, a scratching post, food and water bowls, and some treats. I huff out an exasperated sigh as we make our way to the counter. I pay for everything and then grab Eun, putting him safely in my coat again. 

“Did you drive here? Or did you take a taxi?” Taehyung asks me, his face turning serious for a second. I look up and tell him that I took a taxi. “Oh. Well I get my break in about,” He looks at his wrist where there is visibly no watch whatsoever, “Now. I can give you a ride back to your place. It’s a lot to carry, after all.” He gives me another boxy grin and I can’t help but finding myself smiling too. Under normal circumstances, I would politely decline such an offer, but being that these things would be a little bit too much for me to carry by myself, and Tae was just too adorable to say no to, I couldn’t decline. 

“Are you sure it won’t be too much trouble?” I ask in a quiet voice. He shakes his head at me. 

“Of course not! I do have one rule though.” I look at him, waiting for him to continue. “You have to stop by every now and then and let me know how that little ball of fur is doing, alright?” I nod my head, laughing to myself. He’s so different from anyone that I’ve met before. I can see us becoming close friends and I’m not sure if that makes me happy or scared. 

“Just give me a couple of minutes to lock up the store. I’m the only one working today and you’ve been my only customer, so I don’t think anyone will mind if I’m gone for a bit.” I watch as he goes around, flipping off lights and closing doors. He goes to turn off the radio but stops for a second and listens to the soft jazz coming out of it. He closes his eyes and really listens to the music, and it makes me want to do the same, but instead, I just watch him intently. After a couple of minutes, he opens his eyes again and looks at me. 

“Are you a fan of Jazz?” He asks in a voice just above a whisper. I nod my head.

“I’ve listened to it a little bit, but not that much. Why? Do you like Jazz?” He looks around at the animals inside the store and then back at me. 

“I think the animals like it more than I do. It calms them down, ya know?” The sincerity behind his words surprise me and I say nothing as we just look at each other. 

“Alright, my car is parked out back. You carry what you can, and I’ll get the rest.” He gives me another box-grin as he walks behind me to lock the front door. I pick up the bag of litter and the scratching post and walk towards the back. He follows behind me carrying most of the other things. He stops in front of a black four door Hyundai. He unlocks it and opens the trunk. We put the items in as neatly as we can. I’m about to walk back inside when he grabs my shoulder. I stop and look at him. 

“Why don’t you go ahead and get in the car. I have to lock up anyways, so I’ll just grab the last couple of things. I’ll be right back.” Before I can protest, he dashes back inside. Sighing to myself, I walk over to his car and get inside the passenger seat. His car is very well taken care of. Not a scrap of trash or anything litters the floor. Everything looks brand new, and I question if it is. I lower myself onto the leather seats and open my coat pocket to check on Eun. He is snuggled up into a ball and fast asleep. I sigh to myself and wait for Taehyung to come back.

It doesn’t take very long at all. He’s back in a matter of seconds. He places the remaining things in the trunk and closes it. He runs to the front of the car and opens his door, stepping inside.

“How’s the little guy doing?” He asks me. I look back down at the sleeping creature. 

“He’s asleep.” After a beat or two, I say, “Listen. I can’t thank you enough for this.” He glances over at me and shakes his head. 

“Really, it’s nothing. But you promised you’d bring Eunie by to see me, so you better keep your word!” He points at me in what I assume is mock seriousness. I hold up my hands, playing along with him.

“Hey, a promise is a promise.” And without another word, he starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot and out onto the street.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovely users! Mochisugakookie here! Thank you for reading this chapter! There should be many more to come, as this will be a multiple chapter story. I hope you enjoy this story, as it holds a soft spot in my heart :) I invite you to go check out some of my other works,whether it be on here, Tumblr, or Wattpad. Thank you so much for reading this!!!


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